The Sun. — London, England, 1838-11-27 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR. IV /Im , Tv race this MONDAY.—The Queen walked on the t er • nfternoon, attended by th e C our t. Lor d Ilehester and the Marquis Conyngham will arrive n i t _ t he, Castle this evenine-, and hav e th e h onour ofjoining ‘Yoal, dinne r party. ' j Viscount Melbourne left the Castle this morning. p o A Cabinet Council was held yesterday afternoon at the F orei gn siste rs fhce.Soon after three o'clock the following NH assembled : —Vi scount M e lb ourne, the Marquis of te ll s " woe, Vis count P a l merston, Lord Glenelg, the Chan ], ° f the Ex c h equer, the Earl of Minto, Sir J. C. Hob °4Be, Lord Holland, and Viscount Howick. The Lord -1;acellor joined hi s co ll eagues shortly before four o ' clock. c o Poulett Thomson w as p revente d f rom atten di ng t h e 11 °'clock. by a dom est i c ca l am i ty. The Council sat till near , j v iscount M elbourne arrived in town at two o'clock yes rituaY aftern oon f rom a visit to her Majesty at Windsor C astle. Ch ancello r Glenelg transacted business yesterday t the -uan eellor of the Exchequer's Office in Downing-str a eet. vLord Palmerston transacted business yesterday at Lord telbourne's Office in Downing-street. Mr. the c,Chaneellor of the E s xchequer's Office in Downing-street. sir John u Cam Hobhouse visited the Chancellor of the ilet ic ouer yesterd a y at hi s h ouse i n D own i ng - street . s klo e Russian, Turkish, Neapolitan, and French Ambas " transacted business yesterday at the Foreign De- Parttnent. 40 110 French Ambassad o r, th e P russ i an , Belgian, Gre co4?,' a nd Spanish Mi n i sters , an d M. J osep h T d e M ora, ac General o f t h e P eru -B o li v i an Confederation, trans ousiness yesterday at the Foreign Office. esPatches from Canada were received yesterday at the glial-offi ce f rom the Earl of Durham. al fleVateheSo dated the 25th ult., were received yesterday 13 1 „ ; e Foreig n Dep ar t men t f rom L or d P onson b y , t h e `4Bll Ambassador at Constantinople. - ev Lord and Lady Holland entertained a party last b;... eai g, at Holland House, to celebrate his Lordship's Lo rd and L a d y J o h n S cott l eft the Clarendon et Yesterday, f or th e i r seat i n S cot l and. , L isi , l l Forester w ill l eave Willey Park ne xt week, on th an ,' t o the E ar l an d C ountess o f D arlington, near Gran "gWhere hi s L or d s hi p ' s fi ne pack of fox-hounds will meet roin the ke nne l s near B e l vo i r. cosy We are g l a d to hear that Viscount Duncannon is I , _alescent. Hi s Lordship drove through the Park, on ri ,, g Y) in a ph aeton t ew 4 ll h e Hon. Cecil . Forester, M.P., is remaining in pi.allefore the D u k e o f B ucc l euc h l e f t S cot l an d h e nt i o anghol i mprovements at Branxholm, near Hawick, and th e . 41 Lodge, upon a sca l e so ex t ens i ve , as w ill a ff or d ttetan nte rous artizan s an d l a b ourers at present engage d at Gr k : °aces full employment during the whole period of his ab sence.--Renwick Warder. et k i (1 ,,e Duk e o f N orfolk is expected in town at the 6 ,?' the Week, from a t our . lag l T hornas and Lady S tan l e y h ave b een entertain trrir E dward and Lady Cust, Mr. Massey Stanley, Mr. tor t 6 : 40 , M r . an d M rs . Ch ar l es Stanley, and other visi hial4r„.a.t th e i r seat, Hooton Hall.—Macclesfield Courier. • Buckl e y i s recover i ng f rom i ndispos i t i on s i nce ! r tival in Curzon -street, from Brighton. Yve egret to annou nce t h e d eat h o f J. P. Th omson , the icl ' f ' at els hou se at R oe h ampton. T h i s gent l eman was e lther of Mr. Poulett Scrope, M.P. for Stroud, and of 41'ght Hon. C. Poulett Thomson, President of the am of tics Trade. —Globe. Park rci John Russell will continue at Cashiobury ta 4 1 1 111 til the rniddle of the ensuing month. The whole of 'tet e , rds hilf's domestic establishment have left Wilton -1.•• Cashiobury. ~atil td morpeth is not expected in town from Dubli n kal t ,," 4 e middl e of January ; in his way to town he will Ilisome stay at Castle Howard. , asii ti e last letters from the Earl and Countess of were dated from Nice, where they intended to pass i ad b• e nitss and then proceed to Rome, to join the Duke te nsile nche ss o f S ut h erlan d . Hi s Lordsh i p ' s h ea l th was alitti r a* improved, but be still suffered from the rheu kkie gout i n hi s feeet. The family w i ll not return to Eng otil the advance of the spring. koa, Duke of Buckingham continues very infirm at Ti l e House. His Grace suffers from gout in his feet. 1 14 r „, t Duches s -Countess of Sutherland arriv e d in ett‘;:t°n-place yesterday evening, from a visit to the W eas of Bridgewater, at Ashridge Castle. Aki n ' s , Royal Hi g h ness th e D u k e o f S ussex, accom tiv ei .l. l °Y Col. Wild man an d L ord John Church i ll, went seat Newstead Abbey to the Earl of Scarborough's Qord Abb ey , on W ednesday last, to enjoy a day's a Qt,ti g i n t h e wood attached to the Abbey. The Earl of 4, B 6 otough invit e d a se l ect circle to meet his Royal High dead 8) Who in t wo h ours and a half shooting bagged 30 th e ; The nu m b er kill ed was upwards of 200, out of which e Were 130 hares. A sumptuous luncheon was given ls,, t t lt n Noble Earl to his Royal guest, who, with the Gal- Abi l e olonel and Lord J. Churchill, returned to Newstead ti e" to dinner. tbib is Royal Hi g h ness t h e D u k e o f L ucca , atten d e d t jle 13 4° , 4 Lowenberg, dined with their Royal Highnesses !this 1e and Duchess of Cambridge, at Kew Palace, on who" f - 7 'est. A select party were invited to meet the Duke, Orlb:mied in the latter part of the evening to his hotel het).„ar's). ti I) eke and Duchess of Beaufort entertained Stuleelleney General Alava, Lord and Lady Fitzroy So -41 Earl and Countess of Tankerville, Mr. Luttrell, gel,°loriel and Mrs. Anson, Hon. Miss Somerset, Co 4itie :Irrnstrong, Mr. Ebrington, Mr. Greville, &c., at tt tee e t . 00 Sunday evening, at their mansion in Arlington `.i, Covers were laid for sixteen. 14 4 d ea sts. Julian Skrine, and William Campbell Gil ithole.,"elltlties of an association of great capitalists, amongst b; _ itt n the names of the most eminent London bankers a b , e ed, had the honour of an interview, a few days 'T a t 'th the King at his palace of Lacken, and to l plrme iuok.t • Majesty the project of the Anglo-Belgium l ad i u ee object of this Bank is to facilitate and extend o.4etwee`hr,Nercial relations, and, above all, the money affairs, the o epenzil a llat . trlngland and Belgium. His Majesty received in th e mos t grac i ous mermen I n- n I th i , b t * .14.sn-:`ISONNIENT FOR DEBT BILL.—THE COM- I:14r" CLAUSE.—The 36th section, a compulsory clause t . t h. iri e tlew Act, has already been productive of great benefit. Zuhad en vesting orders, up to yesterday, have been ob -etit the petitions of detaining creditors. By the pre tde " t he compulsory clause of the Lords' Act is sus ftl:ol (i t ; a nd the power vested in the Commissioners of the tip the di Debtors' Court. There is, however, no penalty -ma a anhedience of an order to file a schedule further %e4 itl 'inell is r ling a contempt. In one case, on Tuesday last, 1 1 } 5 , 11 ner„au'e property was discovered in the possession of a 1 Jeremiah Board, who had been confined in i'ts t Prison upwards of 20 years. An application P i t a i l" en the part of the detaining creditors for a vest -11-(int, which was obtained. The order so made vests Bu se 41 Ah Rtle t° PettY of the party indebted in the provisional e :th o e , ' t at i ld in furtherance of the provisions of the Act he r t d'a ti ai" a messenger to search for property. A C two' an active oflicer, named Clarke, accompanied ns her persons, went ' to Board's room in the Fleet, Perto-eal•chedPfThey also searched Board's itme and the e r property. s it was the discovery of consider koeit:Perty. In his shoes they found some Bank Stock t ' i tti r a t- ' a nd in a deplorable old coat a quantity of sove datebike- ; in his bed asilver tankard was found, and other eo n the whole of which, with the securities, j i I ,oo r nght away, making together . property to upwards 14 had' u Board appeared to be ignorant that proceed -1 be b een commenced against him. The property 'Ape converted into one and, after the payment of the e)thesrlociea' a ppropriated for y, the benefit of parties at toe efa!tance the vesting order was issued. In another bOiteer;Person named Ford, who had . been some years in llned so u -street prison, the detaining . creditor had oh od so copyhold property, which he will sell to pay In other cases it is understood property has been ti k . ta l° ys "ep`lern,nder the same clause. The power cannot be put i s 1 n ell a uen until after a person . has been twenty-one Zsei BtOdy. It then proceeds silently, and property ° ntt t , e4 I , a P i _ l3 n without the case being brought before the tt e ta i n ye ar ' s n i e n reare a . number . of persons who have been r p ro _ the various prisons, enjoying, P e v —aw r t. in preference to the payment of their debts. it is supposed, at ednesda evening an inquest was held in Toth ill , West • ti u nl th e _ nunsYter, on the body of Ann Haltz, aged 40. krtianetnepdenee of Edmund Harman, that t h t i o s Messrs. li r ,' P. 1; 8, the bankers, it appeared . e lar a rninniond, was driving his cab to his residence, k ve s s cluar e e at on the Ist inst., between ten and eleven of was n 'ght, the horse knocked down the deceased as h e creasing Cock treet, causing a fracture of one eight r th iabs _ spur-s mil es a The horse was . then going at the rate of of eas e d t _ n hour. Several witnesses deposed that the t Put hour. said the injury she had received was the result . Ir o htr e g . 4 e e n e _ i d , ent• A sun eon attributed her death rather reli ct state of body than to the injuries received. 1,04 ;h e ' Accidental death, with a deodand of one shil quest "h. Mr. Drummond, jun., who attended the IPent stated that she should be hurried at his brother's Paid tile. a 's° appeared that Mr. Drummond's family si e l ,L e-eas ed every attention during her illness. Hei r vi * -- C aT°N .--Woodcocks and snipes have made around this neighbourhood._ Western Times. STATE OF THE NAVY-FOREIGN NAVIES. is ready to pounce upon Turkey at the earliest opportunity We know she has a fleet of 12 sail of the line in the Black Sea and nearly 30 in the Baltic, with four months' provi sions on board, and is it right that we should only have three 74's weakly manned in this country and three three deckers not manned at all. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sta—The season being too far advanced for the Rus sians to pay us a visit in London, I request you will be good enough to publish the accompanying letter I wrote some time ago to Lord Palmerston on the State of the Navies of the different Maritime Powers—since which time a force has been very properly sent into the Gulph of Mexico, to watch the motions of the French squadron ; and it is to be regretted that instead of ordering Sir Robert Stopford to return to Malta, with the greatest part of the Mediterra nean squadron, he had not been re-inforced with the three three-deckers we have in England immediately after the publication of the treaties with Turkey and Austria, and ordered to pass the winter in the Dardanelles, and at once ascertain whether Russia is prepared to maintain the Treaty of Unkiar-'Skelessi or not. It is no use any longer mincing matters with the Autocrat : his progress must be stopped in the East, and his powerful fleet in the Baltic reduced, or such a flame lit up in Cronstadt and Sebastopol as would require all the water in the Black Sea and Baltic to extinguish. Instead of issuing out placards to ask the seamen to enter for five years, when we know they will not come for ward for three, we ought at once to offer a bounty, increase the pay of the petty officers, restore the pension after four teen years' service, and open the situations in the Dock-yards as a reward for good services. Men would then come for ward, and we should be enabled to fit out a fleet before the spring, and at once come to a clear understanding with Rus sia. If peace can be pre3erved, a powerful armament is the best means of doing it. If not, the sooner we go to war the better.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, Nov. 26, 1835. CHAS. NAPIER. It was never before known in the history of England, during a profound peace, that a foreign power kept a fleet of nearly 30 sail of the line ready for sea, within a few day's sail of our own shores, without our having a fleet to pro_ tect us. As long as Russia keeps such a force, we dare not make a severe remonstrance. She knows we cannot suddenly man a fleet without impressment, which would be most un popular, and nearly impracticable. I have heard it observed that we had no right to be jealous of the naval force of Russia, as we had no quarrel with her. A quarrel is, however, easily got up. It has been shown in the House of Lords beyond a doubt that orders have been given to detain Sardinian ships of war in the event of their assisting Don Carlos in the south of Spain. What answer could we give to Russia were she to insist on the withdrawal of that order ? We must sub_ mit. Yes, my Lord, Great Britain must either succumb to Russia, or run the risk of seeing a fleet of 30 sail of the line at at the mouth of the Thames, and an army of 50,000 men landed in our country, who would burn our fleet, de stroy our arsenals, plunder London, and return to the Bal tic with a rich booty befor , . our eyes were open. We have done the same thing ourselves at Copenhagen and Wash ington, and we are at this moment more unprepared than either the Americans or Danes were. I have assisted at more than one coup de main in my life, and the more hazar dous they appeared the more successful they generally were. It was declared both in the House of Commons and House of Lords that the British navy was never in a more efficient state than at present, and it was added (as reported by the Times) that there was no call so sudden bat that we could, with the greatest ease and expedition, equip a very large and powerful fleet. Such a declaration is quite sufficient to lull your Lordship and the whole country into a state of perfect security ; but I am sorry to say I cannot at all agree with these opinions. At the present moment we have in England 3 three-deckers, with about 200 men in each. 3 two ditto 500 In the Mediterranean 1 three-decker. 1 two ditto 92 guns. 3 ditto ditto 80 2 ditto ditto 74 At Lisbon MY LORD—As I feel quite convinced you are not at all aware of the time necessary to augment our navy in the case of need, and as I believe the Government entertain very erroneous opinions on that subject (judging from the Parliamentary Reports), I feel it my duty as a naval offi cer to point out to you, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the state of the different navies of Europe, as also the condition of our own, in order that your Lordship, who is best ac quainted with our diplomatic relations with foreign states, may judge, whether it is safe to remain in the defenceless state we have been in some time. In writing to your Lordship, I mean no disrespect to the Board of Admiralty, and your Lordship is quite at liberty to make what use you please of this letter. Opinions have been expressed in Parliament with which I entirely dis agree ; those opinions may mislead you in your foreign po licy, anti I consider it my duty to point out to you the difficulties we shall have to contend with in the event of a sudden armament. The French Navy consists of 11 three-deckers, mounting 126 guns. 23 two ditto, from 90 to 100 23 ditto ditto 82 2 ditto ditto 74 In India 1 ditto ditto 74 At the Cape 1 ditto ditto 74 In America 2 ditto ditto 74 In addition to the above they have between 40 and 30 frigates, mounting 60 guns, 30 armed steam-boats, and small frigates, corvettes, and brigs in proportion. The Russian Navy in the Baltic consists of 3 three-deckers of 110 guns. 6 two ditto 84 18 ditto ditto 74 1 frigate 56 1 ditto 52 17 ditto 44 3 corvettes, besides a large number of brigs, cutters and gun boats. In the Black Sea they have 12 sail of the Ist class three-deckers, 10 frigates of 60 guns, 4 corvettes 24 guns, 10 brigs of 20. In the Caspian Sea they have several steam boats, and a flotilla of gun boats. The American Navy consists of 1 three-decker of 140 guns 11 two ditto from 80 to 100 1 frigate 64 14 ditto from 50 to 60 2 frigates of 44 15 corvettes and brigs from 15 to 24, besides small craft and steamers. The Egyptians and Turks possess about 20 sail of the line, large ships, with several very fine frigates, and small craft in proportion. Holland, Denmark, and Sweden, can muster about 24 sail of the line. The British Fleet consists of 23 three-deckers 4, of which are building 3 two-deckers of 92 guns, 2 ditto 28 from 80 to 84 47 from 70 to 78 2 ditto 13 frigates of 50 guns, 32-pounders 8 frigates of 52 guns, 24-pounders 57 ditto from 42 to 46, 3 of which are building 10 ditto of 36 guns, 6 ditto 15 ditto of 28 guns ditto of 26 3 ditto 59 corvettes from 16 to 24, 6 ditto 92 brigs, cutters, and schooners from 4 to 10 guns 68 steamers of all descriptions, few of which are fit for war. Were all these ships fit for service, which they are not, we should have sufficient to contend with any two nations with whom we might be engaged in war, provided they sent their ships to sea in fleets for the express purpose of trying their strength with us ; this they would not do, but would probably assemble squadrons in different ports, ready to put to sea and attack our colonies and convoy s, and we snould be obliged not only to keep squadrons to watch theirs, but also ships to protect our colonies and trade, which together with the necessary reliefs, would give full occupation to all the ships in the navy, and a great many more. The greater number of our first rates, as well as the second, are fit to take their stations in a general action, but those from 70 to 78 guns are totally unfit to contend with the greater number of the line of battle ships o f other nations ; our frigates of 50 and 52 guns are also good, but they are few in number ; and the 46's now-a-days are almost useless, and the 28's entirely so. Having stated the number of ships possessed by the dif ferent maritime nations, I shall now proceed to show what porportion of their ships are actually in commission, and the probable time required by each to put its navy in a fit state for war. Russia, of late years, has been in the habit of keeping 27 sail of the line, and a proportionate number of frigates, and small craft, ready for sea every summer in the Baltic, about eight sail of the line of this fleet are constantly in, training, during the su:nmer months, and the crews to complete the whole are regimented, and kept in constant readiness for embarkation. In the Black Sea she has 12 sail of the line always in commission, and manned, and I believe can increase them to 18. France has twenty-two sail of the line in commission— they are not kept in a fleet menacing our shores as the Russians are. They are distributed over different parts of the globe. France has also a regular system of manning her navy, and although I do not quite agree with the Editor of the Standard, that she could send fifty-seven sail of the line to sea in six weeks, because I know the difficulty of fitting out such a force, yet I admit that by means of her maritime conscription she could call men together, such as they are, without any great difficulty or inconvenience, and certainly before we could possibly man a fleet. It is not, however, France, that we have at present to fear ; it is as much her interest as it is that of England that both countries should be united in the bonds of friendship , and as we have passed over her permanent occupation of Algiers (whether wisely or not I shall not inquire) I see no reason at present to be jealous of her augmenting her naval force as long as she does not menace our shores with a large fleet full manned and ready for sea, or take permanent pos session of any part of South America, which we certainly ought not to permit. It appears to me that Russia is the power that ought to excite the jealousy of this country, not because she has the least wish to go to war with England, for she is too wise to desire that as long as she can extend herself and increase her power in peace ; but, my Lord, are we to continue with our eyes closed, when an energetic display would at once oblige her to creep into her shell ? We have seen Poland, contrary to treaties, disappear from the map of Europe ; we have seen Moldavia and Wallachia become almost Russian provinces. We now see the Autocrat endeavouring to conquer Circassia, and the Paella of Egypt (probably at his instigation) preparing to declare himself independent. We know that Russia has a large flotilla in the Caspian Sea, that she is intriguing with Persia, and menacing our possessions in India and that she The above is a statement of our ships of the line in com mission. The three-deckers at home are not manned, and all our ships are weakly manned ; and two line of battle ships with no lower deck guns, and only 400 men, bearing Admirals' flags, are employed, one at the Cape and another in India. In addition to our ships in commission, we have, I be lieve, 15 demonstration ships of the line, that is to say, ships fit to receive men ; their masts and yards are ready to be sent on board, and the rigging and sails are nearly complete. At Portsmouth there are five more sets of masts and yards, and five sets ready to be put together, but no rigging or sails, and I presume the other yards are in the same state. Now, my Lord, I will suppose that you received infor mation that the Russian fleet had embarked a land force and sailed from Cronstadt, which we know very well they could do without difficulty. We have already seen ten sail of the line arrive at Spithead when we only expected four ; and Captain Crawford has seen 27 sail get under weigh, in three divisions, with four months' provisions on board, the seamen drilled for the land service as well as for the navy ; and we know very well that for a short voyage, and in summer, the Russian fleet could, with all their small craft and steamers, without even taking up transports, em bark a very large force. If they managed matters well, and started with the first of an easterly wind, they would be on our coast nearly as soon as you could receive information ; but I shall suppose, for argument's sake, you received a week's notice. What would happen ? Orders would be issued to corn plete the guardships, the demonstration ships would be commissioned, an embargo would be laid on, and press warrants issued, which many magistrates would not back ; hut even if they did, who is to execute them ? Ships of war you have none. The civil power would not be strong enough. The Revenue cutters could not. The few troops we have in England would be concentrated near London, and could not be employed in the impress service. The Marines in barracks would not complete half our ships ; all would be bustle and confusion ; and we should ulti mately be obliged to trust to the seamen coming volunta tarily forward. Would they come ? No person can an swer that question ; if they did, we could equip those ships in ten days or a fortnight ; if they did not, they would not be equipped in three months ; but even should they be ready for sea in ten days they would not be in time to save London from pillage, and our fleets and arsenals to the eastward from being destroyed. Ought such a state of things to be allowed to continue ? Certainly not. What is the remedy ? Full man a 1 our ships in commission and commission more. The reply to that would be—the men will not enter, and we do not like to impress. Restore to the seamen their pensions after fourteen years' service, give the first class petty officers double the sea.. man's pay, the second class one half more, you would then get men ; if that fails give them a bounty. As the men come forward, disembark half the Marines, and fill up their places with able seamen. The Govern ment and the Board of Admiralty would then be able to tell the country with confidence that a powerful fleet could be expeditiously equipped, because, on the first alarm, one ' watch from the ships in commission could be instantly discharged into an equal number of demonstration ships, and the Marines of both being completed to the war esta blishment, the navy would be at once doubled, and thus having a good ground work, the newly-entered men would be easily taught their duties. Whereas, at present, even should men come voluntarily forward, and work with all their hearts and souls, and tit out a fleet with the expedition the Government anticipates, still, for want of experience, they would be totally unfit to contend even with the Russians. A ship of war, my Lord, even with the most experienced officers (and they are not numerous), cannot be disciplined in a day ; and we must not fancy, because we were constantly successful last war, we are to be equally so after a peace of upwards of twenty years, during which time other powers have increased and improved their navies in about the same proportion that we have retrograded. Our ships should be kept as much at sea as possible, and as many together as the nature of the service will admit, in order to create a spirit of emulation amongst them ; we should then make good officers, and retain the dominion of the seas ; if, on the other hand, the ships are kept weakly manned, and constantly in port, the officers will be no better than those brought up in merchant-men, and we most cer tainly shall be defeated in the first onset, and the country ruined. It was observed in the House of Lords that the Com mons would make no difficulty in voting men if asked for. The Government incur a great responsibility in not asking for men, and a fearful responsibility in not even employing those voted by Parliament, particularly now, when besides the immense force kept up by Russia, the Americans in Congress have unanimously declared their right to the boundary of 1783, and the French are sending a powerful force into the Gulph of Mexico, which force is watched by a Commodore in a ship at Jamaica, unfit to go to sea. In writing this letter to your Lordship, I beg to assu re you I have n o o th er f ee li ng t h an f or t h e honour and safety of the country, which I think are in danger, and I assure your Lordship our present defenceless state is talked off in many circles, and I wish to bring it under y o ur consideration . Whether you will t a k e this in good part or not I cannot tell. I assure yo u I am a f r i end to the present Ministry, and I wish to remain so, but as a Naval Officer, seeing our dan ger, I think it my duty to point it out, and I do it to yo ur Lordship because y ou are t h e Foreign 11linister, because I have the honour of your acquaintance, and because you ar e the best judge of the s t a t e o f our foreign relations. I have the ho nour to b e, Your Lordship's obedient servant, CHARLES NAPIER. Merchistoun Hall, Horn Dean, Sept. 12, 1881. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1838. THE NAVY.--RUSSIA. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR—Tile time has arrived when it is absolutely neces sary for the safety of the nation, that some decisive steps should be taken to place her Majesty's fleets in a position to meet in battle, with a certainty of success, not only the maritime force of Russia, but the combined navy of Europe, if arrayed against them. It ic, Sir, but too evident that imaginary security, mistaken economy, and long neglect, has been allowed to lull the nation into repose, while one of the most ambitious powers in the world has been gradually extending her territory, encircling the weaker European States, and perseveringly increasing her maritime force, so that in the short space of one month, if it pleased the Czar, Russia could rendezvous seventy sail of the line, with a proportionate number of frigates and sloops, in the English Channel. Such, Sir, is our present position ; that Power having thirty sail of the line in the Baltic, and forty sail of the line in the Black Sea, all in high order, commanded by Russians, educated in the British navy. It was a common observation, both of Lord Nelson and Lord de Samaurez, that the young Russian officers then serving in the fleet, were acquiring a lesson, that would hereafter prove injurious to England. In those days, France occupied all our thoughts ; Russia was so weak that the possibility of her becoming such a gigantic naval Power was never anticipated. Faithfully to point out the only possible means of meeting this emergency, by efficiently manning our fleets, will be the subject of this letter, for as my gallant brother-officer, Capt. Napier, truly says, it is not alone on ships (of which we have enough), that our safety mainly depends ; it is on officers and men. It requires no ghost from the grave to tell us of the thousands, and tens of thousands, of British seamen who have, from injustice, mi sery and wretchedness, sunk into the silent tomb, and of die hundreds of brave officers, in every rank, driven from their land by the neglect of their just claims, to pine in misery on their small half pay, being totally unable to to support their families in their own country. Let, Sir, say man of common candour look at the present Naval List, and there see Captains, Commanders, and Lieutenants, from thirty to forty years' standing, who have fought and bled in every quarter of the globe, and many of whom were in the battle of Trafalgar, the comparative naval Wa terloo of England, without even an honorary distinction ; and the cruel case must not be forgotten of dozens of fine young Midshipmen, who, having served their regular time and passed their examination for Lieutenants, continue ten and twelve years in that inferior station, merely from not having Aristocratic interest to obtain fairly earned promotion. Shame, shame, on men in power, who n quietly and unfeelingly witness such injustice, whilst they are lavishing thousands a year on boys in civil Departments because they are so fortunate as to be connected with some Court sycophant ! Enough, Sir, of the past—injustice and oppression have had their reign ; a better system must he adopted, or the ruin of the British Navy is inevitable, for the time has gone by when either white or black slavery can be tolerated under the British flag. Then comes the grand question, Are we to man our fleets by impressment, and the old detestable system of drafting the most depraved characters from our common gaols ? Are British seamen to be branded with Impressment on their brow, and forced to serve with com mon criminals? Are the brave defenders of their country, merely because they are sea-faring men, to be the only class of Britons subject to so degrading a coercion, whilst the very negro is now supported in his claims for just treatment ? I impossible--absolutely impossible ! The Reform Bill, the Slave Emancipation Act, and, above all, a more Christian feeling now pervading this country, will raise the voice of the whole nation to compel her rulers to fairly remunerate our defenders for their arduous services by good bounties, the payment of higher wages than can be obtained in the merchants' service, the restriction of punishments, enlist ment for limited service, with permission to visit their fami lies, in addition to Napier's plan for the registration of seamen. Thus, Sir, a plan on the broad principle.; of jus tice, might be formed to quiet all alarm on the score of man ning our fleets—a subject which now engrosses the attention of the public. The Lords of the Admiralty are men of expe rience and high character, but they are in office ! A tremen dous responsibility rests with them, and to them the coun try looks in the present crisis. Let them throw a mis taken economy to the winds ; and should they fail in carry ing measures of such vital importance, let them evince their independence by immediately resigning. Captain Napier states that ten sail of the line should be ready for sea in the Spring ; but if Government has any reason to suppose that Russia is playing a deceitful game, thirty sail of the line should be in the Baltic next May, and thirty more, with steam-ships, should pass the Dar and destroy at once their fleets and naval depots ; for if England's dominion on the seas be once questioned, adieu to her commercial and maritime prosperity. The Russian Eagle would quickly bend her flight to our Indian posses sions, and, ere long, flap her wings in triumph on the pin nacle of the Eddystone Lighthouse. I remain, Sir, your obedient Servant, D. L. ST. CLAIR, R.N. Staverton Court, Nov. 24. HOP DUTY. AnorAthCaCyoeaUrNlBT3Bo,f the distinguishing on ngtha HOPS of the G Districts, and d the e ro o wt l h d from the New Duty. Duty. X. S. d. 12 7 2 2 15 2 ...: Districts. ::.. ::: ::: 25 13 0 1 13 6 Cambridge Bedford daif. bo Barnstaple rr idd g e .. .. .. :: : :: : :: : Bath ... Canterbury ••• ••• ••• ••• 73,066 13 4 Cornwall ••• .........7 2 9 Derby ••• ••• ••• ... 190 6 8 Dorset ..„ ••• •• ••• 77 8 4 Essex ••• ••• ••• ••• 672 16 10 Exeter ••• ... ••• ••• 2 3 2 Glouces ter ••• ••• ••• ••• 0 1 8 Grantham ••• ••• ••• ••• 20 16 2 Hants ••• ••• ••• ... 7,940 12 8 Hereford ••• ••• ••• ••• 6 ,093 1 6 Hertford ••• ••• ••• ••• 404 8 co Isle of Wight ••• ••• ••• 9 3 2 Lincoln ••• "• ••• ••• 803 19 4 Lynn ... ••• ••• ••• 4 9 8 Norwich ••• .•• ••• ••• 1 4 7 10 Oxford ... ••• ••• ••• 43 2 10 Plymouth 6 15 8 Reading ••• ••• ••• ••• 15 17 4 Rochester ••• ••• ... ••• 105,291 16 6 Salisbury ••• ••• ••• ••• 4,309 0 2 Stourbridge ••• ••• ••• 363 6 10 Suffolk ••• ••• ••• ••• 393 1 10 Surrey ••• •• ••• ••• 8 3 4 Sussex ••• ••• ••• ... 97,921 18 0 Uxbridge ••• . ••• •,• ••• 1 19 10 Wales ( Middle) •• • ••• ••• 2 7 2 Wellington ... ••• ••• ... 9 3 Worcester ••• ••• ••• ••• 637 8 1 298,357 0 8 Old Duty at Id. 12-20 per lb. ... 171,556 8 10} 8-20 New ditto at id. 8-20 per lb. ... 126,802 11 9 4 12-20 Excise- £298,359 0 8 offie G e:L F o . nd C on O , T N T ov R . E 26 L . L, General Accountant. UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, SOMERSET HOUSE. MATRICULATION EXAMINATIONfor HONOURS. Students arranged in the order of proficiency in classics:— Manning, King's College, 1 x qua i es , Mason, University College, Greenwood, University College, } Xquales. Hargrave, University College, Davison, University College. Sargent, King's College. Foggo, King's College. Lord and Lady Maryborough will pass the Christ mas at Deal Castle, where they will entertain Lord and Lady Burghersh, Sir Charles and Lady Bagot, and a family circle. The venerable Peer is in the enjoyment of reellent health, and enjoys the sport of hunting with the Kent harriers three times a week. PARIS, Nov. 25.—The Countess Granville had a soire e on F r id a y evening. The company included the Spanish Princ es an d se veral foreigners of distinction ; the Princesses Schomberg, Schwarzenberg, and Lieven ; the Ambassadors and their Ladies, Lord and Lady Hopetoun and the Hon. the Misses Macdonald, Lord Liverpool and Lady L. Jenkinson ; Lord and Lady Burghersh ; Ladies F. Howard, G. Fullarton, H. D'Orsay, and A. Went worth ; Lords Bristol, Pembroke, Castlereagh, Coke, Ayl mer, and Canterbury ; the Hon. the Ladies Airy, Floyd, and Clerk ; Lady Catherine and the Misses Bernard ; S;r Robert, Lady, and Miss Fitz-Wygram ; the Right Hon. George and Mrs. Dawson, &c. IRELAND. MEETING OF THE PRECURSOR SOCIETY. The Irish Papers are principally occupied with the meeting of the General Committee of the Precursor Society that took place at the Corn Exchange, last Friday. At two o'clock Mr. O'Connell made his appearance, and was greeted by the plaudits of those persons present. Mr. Seton, a barrister, was called to the Chair. Mr. Ray then read the minutes of the proceedings of the meetings held since the foundation of the Society. Mr. O'Connell said—l had better now announce, that after I have addressed you, and proposed the appointment of a Committee, I mean to move an adjournment till one o'clock on Monday next. On that day I will present to the Society the chair of the Catholic Association.—(Cheers.) This So. ciety is merely temporary, and, of course, it is but a temporary loan of the chair I can give. Indeed, I would as soon part with my life as with that chair, for I mean at my death to leave it to my posterity, as an honourable proof of my services to my country.—( Loud cheers.) On Monday, and regularly once a week afterwards, there will be an acconnt given of all the names received up to that day. I suppose that against Monday we will have received 4001. or 5001. Some subscriptions were handed in, and some new mem bers admitted. Mr. Steele then addressed some remarks to the meeeting, which were received with loud and long-con tinued cheering. He concluded in these words—" Ye men of Ireland—my countrymen !—the Catholic Association is dead; the General Association is dead ; but the two bodies together have infused themselves into the Precursor Associa tion, as it exists at this moment in its accumulated vitality and intelligence." Mr. O'Connell then rose. He addressed the meeting at great length ; but as the topics which formed the materiel of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman's speech have been ren dered familiar to the public by almost daily repetition, a few extracts from it will probably satisfy our readers. Mr. O'Connell began by stating that lie was an agitator of 38 years standing, and afterwards insisting on a perfect equa lization of rights. He observed— " I know not if there be the good sense in England to give us such equalization ; but I do know that there is enough of patriotism in Ireland, if they refuse us, to obtain a Repeal of the Union." This declaration, as well as almost every word uttered by the Hon. Gentleman was received with loud cheers. Referring to the reception he met with on his tour of agita tion, Mr. O'Connell stated that the ardour and enthusiasm evinced towards him by the people, were great beyond de scription. " Within the last fortnight, I have travelled," said he, " through Ireland fully 1,000 miles. From village to village, in my route, the cry was taken up of liberty, and justice to Ireland. The men left their work, the women ran from their domestic employment, the children started from their sports to greet me, and men, women, and children all joined in shouting out my name. The newspapers have told you how the wealth and intelligence of Ireland met me in hundreds at the festive board ; they have told you that Peers of the realm have presided on such occasions ; they have showed youlthat from the Learned Prelate to the merest layman, from the Peer to the poor man—Peers, Prelates, and people—all have proclaimed their determination to join with me, and not to desist from their exertions until we obtain the perfect equality which we desire. We never had anything like it before in Iceland. In the Catholic Association we had but 14,000 members. In the General Association we had not half as many. In the Precursor Society we have now enrolled 100,000. On illouday next we will nearly have our first mil lion.—( Hear.) I must have the other. Without two mil lions we could not approach Parliament with the tone and tem per that we ought." Mr. O'Connell declared that Ireland would new join Eng land in demanding the Ballot. " The people of, at all events, three provinces of Ireland will, if they do not otherwise grant it, tell the Ministry that their Representatives will no longer lend them their support if in return they do not advocate the Ballot. If they wish well to Ireland they will take up the question of the Ballot with spirit. They will thus make themselves popular with , the English, while they are just to all portions of the emp ire. ' Speaking of the Established Church, Mr. O'Connell said— " We will no longer submit to be obliged to contribute to the overgrown revenues of the Church of not more than one tenth of the population." " I assert, too, that in strictness our Church has a right to the revenues which are now pos sessed by the Established Church. But we may waive a right, so matter whether that right confer an advantage or a disad vantage. And in this instance we do waive it, for we do not consider it any advantage. The people of Ireland will never consent to have their beloved Clergy paid, for they know that it would make them idle, lazy, and proud; that it would make them disposed to quarrel with the people, and that it would create in them the same hatred to the people and their interests that at present characterises the Clergy of another Church." After condemning Mr. Sharman Crawford's " improper tnd impolitic" conduct in the North, Mr. O'Connell reiterated his allegation that England had no sympathy with Ireland:— " We have against us in England a spirit of hostility un equalled at any former period, or at least only equalled in the atrocity of the conduct which it produced. The English Newspapers have taken up my expressions with regard the hatred ,Ahich I allege exists there towards Ireland. Ido not oare. Ido not mean to shrink from my words. Ido not ;pink I spoke strongly enough upon the subject. lam aware that we will have plenty of lip service. But show me where the English will exert the real power which they possess to ')enefit us in our behalf. Show me any party, any class, from which we may expect ary benefit. Not from the Aristocracy, not from the Press, not from any great section of the people. The people of Ireland understand the hostility of the English towards them, and they know well that from them there is no esource." After dwelling on the little feeling the English generally had for the Irish, and alluding to " the plunderings and slaughterings" that were formerly perpetrated by Cromwell in his progress through Ireland, Mr. O'Connell said— .‘ I tell you that the same spirit still lives in England, and that the Irish have no chance of justice except from their own exertions, and by perpetual agitation." The Hon. and Learned Gentleman then read the English Radicals a lecture on their folly, their want of organization, their love of declarations, their impracticability, and so forth. Why, too, did they not select for leaders Durham and Radnor in the Peers, Sir William Molesworth in the Baronets, and Grote, Leader, Warburton, Hume, Williams (of Coventry), Fielden (of Oldham)General Johnson, Scholefield and Thomas Attwood (of Birmingham)? As to organization " I must make it perfect in every re spect before I desist for a moment from my present career. I thought to have returned again to the enjoyment of my moun tain home, and to remain for even a week or two longer amongst those dear friends and native mountains, where I could live, as it were, in an elysium of delight ; but I feel now that there is so much to be done that I must remain at my post until I convince the Tories that they can never again get into power, and show the Whigs that there is a power be hind them that will sustain them in their efforts to do justice to , Ireland. I cannot desert my post here until Igo to Par liament armed with bills and petitions, with which I will load the tables of the House of Commons." Mr. O'Connell declared that he was shocked at the way in which his requisition for a greater number of Irish Representa tives had been treated in England. Having a right to send 170, but consenting to a compromise which would give Ireland 150 Members. " Can anything," asked Mr. O'Connell, "be more haughty than the refusal of the English Liberal Press to argue the ?natter with me?" As to the Radical addre3ses:from England, we have re ceived them from two places. One of them is from New castle. upon- Tyne ; but we hold no communion with them, for they have been guilty of an overt act of treason. The other address is from one hundred Radical delegates, and we must treat them with respect." Mr. O'Connell concluded his speech by moving the ap pointment of a Committee of fifteen, to prepare an address to the Radicals of England, and that they be requested to report on Monday next, at one o'clock. The resolution was carried, and a Committee appointed. Mr. O'Mara was then moved to the chair, thanks were given to Mr. Seton, and the meeting adjourned till one o'clock on Monday. The Duke and Duchess of Beaufort had a large party to dinner on Sunday evening, at their residence in Arlington-street ; among the guests were the Earl and Countess' of Tankerville, Lord and Lady Fitzroy Somerset, his Excellency General Alava, Hon. Colonel and Mrs. Anson, Hon. Miss Somerset, Mr. Erringtor, Colonel Arm strong, Mr. Luttrell, Mr. Greville, &c. Covers were laid for 16. The following are the names of the three gentlemen who obtained the botanical prizes of the present year at Apothecaries' Hall:—Mr. Raper (University College), gold medal ; Mr. R. P. Dodd (King's College), silver medal, and five vols. bo o k s ; M r. B oughton Kingdon (King's College), the hooks, five vols. The books were De Uandolle's two works, " Orgonographee Vegetale," two vols., and " Physiologic Vegetale," three vols.—Medical Gazette. An inquest was held yesterday afternoon, at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, on the body of a boy named Hicks, aged fourteen, whose death was alleged to have arisen from ill-treatment on the part of his relatives. It appeared from the evidence that about a fortnight ago de ceased vas received into the hospital with a severe wound on the head, which appeared to have been inflicted by means of some blunt instrument. The wound was not in itself apparently of a dangerous character, and the lad ap peared to be getting better, when erysipelas supervened, which proved fatal on Saturday last. The deceased, it was said, lived with nis sister in Plumtree-street, Holborn, and on the day when the wound was inflicted had been guilty of some trifling offen ce . Th e s i ster attempted to strik hint on the back with a common earthenware plate which she held in her hand at the time, but in endeav our i ng to avoid the blow, the boy' s h ea d came i n contact with the e d g e of the plate, and the wound in question was the result. The surgeon who made a post mortent examination of the body attributed death to inflammation, resulting from the wound. The question for the Jury to consider was, whether the woman had intended to do the lad any bodily arm, but, although it was stated that she had not been very kind to him at all ti mes, i t did not appear that she had struck him with any e v il d es i gn. She had been taken into custo d y im mediately on t h e death of the boy. The Jury, a f ter some hesitati on , returned a verdict of " Accidental D eat h," and he woman was discharged, with an admonition The de ceased was an orphan, LATEST NEWS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. (From New York Papers received to the Ist inst. inclusive.) (From the New Yorh Times.) CANADIAN RUMOURS.—The Upper Canada Papers came to us fraught with rumours of " conspiracies"' And " combinations," said to be in progress on our frontier, andP indeed throughout the States bordering on the British Co lonies, which are to eventuate, we are told, as the winter advances, in a grand piratical crusade of the refugees, backed by the cohorts of armed " sympathizers" against British rule and all who uphold it in the Canadas. That there are scattered along the northern and eastern boundary line a considerable number of desperate men— refugees, smugglers, and others—who, having neither pro perty nor capital to lose, are ready for any enterprise which presents a prospect of plunder, we believe and know ; but that these form a large organised body banded together by. solemn oaths, and furnished with arms and the munitions, of war, as represented by a certain portion of the Cana dian Press, we do not believe. (From the New York Times, Oct. 30.) THE CANADAS.—Advices of the escape of Theller and Dodge have been received in Quebec. Rodier, one of the refugees, for whose seizure Lord Gosford offered a reward of 5001., has returned to Alontteal. " Quebec, Monday evening, six o'clock. " I have just learned that an express arrived about an hour ago with some serious desptches to his Excellency. It is said that Major-General Macdonnell has received a letter from Theiler this morning, announcing his safe ar rival on the other side of line 45 deg." The twenty thousand scoundrels who, according to the Kingston Chronicle, are about to invade Canada from the United States, are multiplying their numbers with the rapidity of Falstaff's " men in buckram suits." The To ronto Patriot of the 23d inst. says that the Colonial Go vernment have received information from the most authen tic sources that an extensive combination exists along the whole of the American frontier, from Vermont to Michi gan, for the invasion of this country instanter : and that not less than 40,000 of the rabble of the States are united by secret oaths to attempt its subjugation, with an express un der.4tanding that their only pay will be unlimited licenses FOR PLUNDER throughout its whole extent ! ! ! Ilere is an announcement " full of sound and fury," but as the next sentence shows, " signifying nothing." " We have," continues the alarmist, " no authority be .yond mere rumour for this statement, but we know that the Government and Council are daily occupied on the best means to avert the threatened calamity, and have the beat reason for believing that a strong military force will be raised for our protection." We are sick of these " rumours," which, however, fortu nately carry with them an antidote for the venom they dis play in their self-evident absurdity. NEW YORK MONEY MARRET.—Nov. 1. (From the Commercial Intelligeneer.) United States Bank shares declined to 102 i dollars perms share yesterday, and all other descriptions offered ; there was less firmness among holders and not so much anxiety among buyers to operate as the day previously. Delaware and Hudson receded 1 per cent., Mohawk 1, Paterson 1, Harlem li, and Stonington 1 to 2 per cent., which brings the state of the market back to the position in which it stood on Monday. Five thousand dollars worth of 6 per cent. Treasury Notes were sold yesterday at the Board, at a per cent. premium. The demand for Foreign Exchange on England and France has been mostly supplied by the Bank of the United States, at 1093 ; per cent. on the former and M. 20c. on the latter. SALES AT THE STOCK EXCHANGE, OCT. 31 11 Shares United States Bank l2l 50 do. do. 50 do. do. s. 30 ds. 260 Do. Mechanics' Bank 50 Do. Phoenix Bank lo4i: 175 Do. do. 15 New Orleans Canal Bank 92 25 Delaware and Hudson Canal Co. 100 Do. do. s. 10 ds 72i 100 Do. do. 25 Do. do. s. n. w.... 72. 250 Do. do. t. w. 50 Shares American Trust C 0... ll5 100 Do. do. s. 6 m 50 Do. do. b. 60 ds. 10 Ohio Life and Trust Co. 150 Kentucky Bank 150 Illinois State Bank, s. 30 ds. 320 Vicksburgli Bank • 78 10 Mohawk Railroad 10 Paten on Railroad 50 Harlem Railroad 100 1.,. _.. _ 55 _ 10 N ew j ,:;ey Railroad lo2i 14 Sf)rmingto . n c.:: 250. Do. do. ..... 431 10 Long Island Railroad ....., 7 sf 15 Auburn and Syracuse do. LORD DURHAM.—The inhabitants of Plymouth . and Dcvonport are preparing addresses to the Earl of Durham, in expectation of his immediate landing there. DEATH BY EATING FISH.—On Saturday, Noy 10th, as Mrs. Samwell, wife of Mr. Samwell, sadler, &c., of Aspley Guise, near Woburn, was eating some fresh her— ring, a bone got entangled in ber throat, by which she was. obliged to send for Dr. Parker, of that place, an eminent surgeon, who made every effort to extricate the bone, but to no effect. An inflammation took place, and in two days terminated her existence, leaving a disconsolate husband and five children to deplore their loss. THE DUKE.—Ort the return of the expedition from Hanover, Major-t enerai Sir Arthur Wellesley was appointed to the command of a brigade of infantry stationed at Hastings, in the Sussex district, to the discipline, ma noeuvre, and minute details of which he paid the most scrupulous attention. An intimate friend having remarked in familiar terms to him, when at Hastings, how he, having commanded armies of 40,000 men in the field, having re ceived the thanks of Parliament for his victories—and havin g been made Knight of the Bath, should submit to be reduced to the command of a brigade of infantry ? " For this plain reason," was his answer, " I am niminuk wallah, as we say in the East ; that is, I have ate of the King's salt, and, therefore, I conceive it my duty to serve with unhesitating zeal and cheerfulness, when and wherever the King or his Government may think proper to employ me." This maxim has the more force, from there being officers in the army who, unfortunately for them, having declined subordinate employ, from flattering themselves with superior p re t ens i ons , h ave repen t e d th e i r decision dur ing their professional lives ; and it is for this reason that the compiler has presumed to draw the attention of those who may hereafter be placed in similar circumstances to the great military principle, as well as to the example of the Duke of Wellington.—Gurwood's Despatches of the Duke of Wellington. A paragraph has recently been published in the Papers, stating that a'police-officer had gone to America to apprehend William Hubbard, who was charged with the murder of Eliza Grimwood, in consequence of fresh evi dence having been obtained against him. It appears, how ever, that there is no truth in the statement, and a letter from Hubbard himself appears in a Morning Paper of yes terday, in which he asserts that he has not quitted Eng land since the murder. An inquest was held last night at Horsleydown, on the body of Charles Freeman, a native of Gloucester, who was found in the streets, on Saturday evening, in an ex hausted condition and conveyed to the workhouse, where he died in the course of the night. The body presented a very emaciated and haggard appearance, but in the state in which the man was at the time of his adinission to the workhouse nothing definite could be learned respecting his circumstances. No money was found on his person. He stated that he was a smith by trade, and had come to 1.04 - don in search of work. Verdict—" Natural death." An inquest was held yesterday in Hoxton, on the body of a youth named Ryall, who died on Friday last, in consequence, as was alleged, of a wound inflicted by fellow-apprentice, named Marsh. The only witness who was present at the time of the occurrence was a boy about twelve years of age, who stated most positively that Marsh did not stab deceased, but merely held his hand out to show him that he had a penknife in it. On the other hand it was stated that, when prisoner was confronted with the wounded lad, he admitted having stabbed him, and pleaded in justifi ca ti on th a t h e h a d b een anno ying him. A surgeon deposed th a t d ea th h a d resu lt e d from inflammation of the wound, and stated that the penknife belonging to prisoner, and now produced, was an instrument which would have inflicted s uc h a wound. The Jury, having expressed a wish that the boy (Marsh) should be favourably recommended e g M a t a e n f s o l Manslaughter'' utgr trial. r atogainthste him,Jud gaen,drehteurwnaesdcoammveartdiertooNf SINGULAR DISCOVERY.—A few days ago a most unexpected discovery took place of a charter, granted to the Borough of Salford , in the reign of Stephen, and which. has been missing for about 120 years. A letter, written by the late John Byrom, Esq., of Manchester (author of the short-hand system), baying been fortunately preserved, has no doubt led to this result. The letter in question was addressed to the late Dr. Whittaker (author of the " History of Manchester") to whom there was reason to suppose the charter had be en l ent, f or t h e purpose o f i n . serting it in hi▪ s celebrated work. It appears that the grandfather of the present law clerk to the Salford Com missioners, Mr. Cooke, was t h e l aw c l er k a b out t h at pe riod, and it havi▪ ng been suggested that, perhaps, it might be found amid an immense mass of documents, connected with the business of the offi ce , searc h was ma d e, an d thus the original charter found It is a very brief document.